Acamprosate

1 medicine

Acamprosate helps people who have stopped drinking alcohol maintain abstinence by easing the brain-chemical imbalance left behind by long-term use. It is cleared by the kidneys and should not be used in severe kidney impairment.

Campral

Acamprosate

333mg

Campral is a addiction smoking medication containing Acamprosate, available as 333mg tablets.

from $0.86 / tablet View

Key facts

  • Acamprosate helps people who have already stopped drinking stay abstinent by calming a brain-chemical imbalance that long-term alcohol use leaves behind. It does not treat withdrawal itself and does not stop intoxication if you drink while taking it.
  • You take it as tablets, usually three times a day, starting once detox is complete; it can take several days of regular dosing to reach its full effect.
  • Acamprosate is cleared by the kidneys unchanged and is avoided in severe kidney impairment; your dose may need adjusting if your kidney function is reduced.
  • Tell your doctor about any new or worsening low mood or thoughts of self-harm, since mood changes can occur during treatment.

What acamprosate treats

Acamprosate treats alcohol dependence, specifically helping adults who have already achieved abstinence maintain it and avoid relapse. It works best alongside counselling and support. It is not a treatment for acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms such as tremor, seizures, or agitation, and it will not prevent the effects of alcohol if you drink while taking it.

How acamprosate works

Long-term heavy drinking shifts the balance between the brain's excitatory and calming chemical signals. When drinking stops, this shift drives cravings and anxiety. Acamprosate is thought to restore the balance by acting on glutamate and GABA signalling, easing the urge to drink. Levels build up over several days of regular dosing, so the effect develops gradually rather than immediately.

Before you take it

  • Do not take acamprosate if you have severe kidney impairment; your doctor checks kidney function before starting and periodically after.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, since data on safety for the baby are limited.
  • Tell your prescriber about any history of depression or self-harm, since mood changes can occur during treatment.
  • Acamprosate does not react with alcohol the way some other anti-craving medicines do, so drinking while taking it will still cause the usual effects and harms of alcohol.

Side effects

Common effects include diarrhoea, nausea, abdominal discomfort, dry mouth, dizziness, headache, and tiredness, which often ease as treatment continues.

Stop and seek urgent medical care for any of these:

  • A rash, facial or throat swelling, or difficulty breathing.
  • Persistent vomiting or severe stomach pain.
  • New or worsening depression, or any thoughts of self-harm.

Safety essentials

  • Severe kidney impairment rules out acamprosate, since the drug is eliminated unchanged by the kidneys and can build up to harmful levels; your doctor confirms kidney function before and during treatment.
  • Keep up counselling or support alongside the medicine; acamprosate eases craving, but does not treat the underlying dependence on its own.
  • Report mood changes promptly, since depression can worsen during early recovery and needs its own care.

This page is educational and does not replace advice from a doctor or pharmacist who knows your health history.